Work Travel

[Old Guy]

Drove the car on day 6 to pick up a grandkid from school. Didn't tell me there was an activity afterwards that lasted 45 minutes. Sitting on that hard car seat for close to two hours made me hurt for the next two weeks.
But- I am a slow healer. Don't tolerate many medicines.
Some guys are lucky and have zero pain afterwards. We all heal differently. Hope you're able to make that trip.

[UpNorth]

Sitting on that hard car seat for close to two hours made me hurt.

Was that a Model T or Studabaker OldGuy!

[RobotRomeo]

I'm 8 days post implant and I could definitely handle a business work trip no problem. I probably could have done it around day 5.

[Boatdrinks]

RobotRomeo,
My trip is actually scheduled for Austin…
Love all the replies and are appreciated. Looks like I will take it day to day. I really want to make the trip but if I am not up for it, I will just have to cancel.

[wanttokno]

If you really want to do it you can make it happen but be prepared. By day five I was lifting my wife from her wheelchair to the toilet and back. Also cooking and taking care of our special needs son as my sister had to get back to her own life. After my first revision I began the same on the day after the procedure. Yeah, it was painful but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Thankfully I’m blessed so as to heal quickly.
Just a word of advice, get yourself an inflatable donut for sitting for extended stretches if at all possible. Otherwise as you’ve heard even comfortable car seats or even couches can become sources of aches which will soon become pains if not dealt with. Everyone has given you great advice so far but this one point is I think a necessity. After my initial implant getting a donut from the pharmacy was a must by day three, do yourself a favor. Blessings to you and your team.

[equusAz]

I absolutely do NOT understand this need to rush back to work. This is your health and comfort you are talking about. In no way would I WANT to travel that soon after surgery.

I imagine a lot of guys throw up stories to their employers about 'personal time off' and don't go into WHY they are going to be out. The answer is simple. "I'll be out for health reasons and am getting a required surgery. My doctor wants me to take it easy afterwards and I'll be submitting a leave request for healing." Period. Do NOT rush off to work. Do NOT try to do more than you should without your doctors express permission. When I took time off this is exactly what I told my employer. They didn't ask what the surgery is for, and if they had asked I would have said "thats private and between my doctor and myself" or if you need to go there tell them "its a urological surgery I don't want to go into at this time." If they press, remind them that its really between you and your doctor.

Health care and health leave exists for a reason, and unless you are out of leave there should be no reason for you to concoct a story or try to run back to work as quickly as possible. Even if its "criticial" unless you yourself are making it so.

Take the time if you can to heal. It would absolutely suck to get into the work trip and then experience a lot of pain because something tore or you aggrivated it. Trust me. I do a lot of travel for work and ONCE I got sick while traveling - and it absolutely wasn't fun.

Not worth the risk IMO.

[GoodWood]

I’m 57 and returned to work on day 11 with no problem.

I think a big factor is what you do that first week+. I was instructed to stay in bed as much as possible the first three days. That’s EXACTLY what I did. I was in flat on my back with ice packs on nearly round the clock. Only exceptions were to get up to empty the urine catheter bag (approximately twice a day). My husband brought meals to me in bed those first couple days.
Then the rest of that first week (as instructed by my surgeon) I was taking hot baths and using a heating pad. Still staying off my feet whenever possible. I chilled on the couch and caught up on Netflix.

The more you stay off your feel the less swelling you’ll have. Less pain, quicker healing.

If you plan to try to make this work meeting, rest as much as possible that first week.